Street Art at Night in the East Village, NYC (Credit: NYCPhoto.SmugMug.com)

Dinner was full of deep conversations and good wine, and with our full bellies we toppled out of the restaurant and decided to go for a walk. We talked some more until my friend stopped and said, “I wonder what happened here?”. I looked to where he was pointing and noticed a random assortment of colorful objects thrown onto the street for Tuesday night garbage collection.

From Trash to Treasure: The Ultimate Upcycle

It then became a game to try to piece together the story of the owner of the objects. From the red and pink colors, we decided she was female, and from finding a receipt in a rainbow-colored wallet, we knew she was a student. We decided she was growing up and moving onto new directions in life, shedding her teenage belongings as she moved onto her next chapter.

As we walked further, we found more unusual and wonderful objects on the street. I had never previously paid much attention to garbage but the items on the street were so unusual and almost artistically and poetically thrown out there, that they commanded attention.

We found bell shaped Chinese bamboo hats and unidentifiable machines, and remarked how unusual and lovely these findings were on an oddly quiet late Tuesday night.

Be a Hero, and Save Something From a Landfill

It was a pity that so many wonderful objects were sitting on the streets, waiting to get dumped into landfill. There were so many usable items that could’ve been someone else’s treasure.

I took away some bracelets that were perfectly themed for the upcoming summer season and a grinning toy monkey to remember the night.

The next time you’re in the East Village on a Tuesday evening, look a bit closer at the ‘garbage’ on the streets. You might be surprised what you might find.

Have you ever treasured something that was discarded by another person?

About the Author

Melissa O'Young has worked in the waste department for an eco-city, won awards for a start-up idea tackling food waste, and advised the UK Government on collaborative consumption. She’s curious and passionate about how to get consumers to adopt more sustainable behaviors and writes about her own journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Read more stories from Melissa HERE.

Does NYC not have “small household item pick-up” by charities such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Viet Nam Vets, etc? Here in Boston, they come right to your door and take anything that 1 man can carry (ie not sofas). I NEVER throw anything away with any useful life left in it, and just last week I swiped a baby pool from in front of someone’s house and am adding it to my “Vets” pile for next week!